Bill: Third-Trimester Pregnant Women to Park in Handicap Spots

Pregnant women in Israel may receive yet another benefit, according to a draft of a bill proposal submitted Monday – allowing women in their third trimester to park in handicapped spaces.

The bill is the first of Labor MK Danny Atar; he stated in his explanatory notes that it was inspired by the struggles of his parliamentary assistant, according to Maariv.

22 MKs have expressed support for the bill from various parties, including Likud, Meretz, Yisrael Beytenu, Kulanu, and the Zionist Union (Labor-Hatnua).

"The idea crystallized after my parliamentary assistant, who is in her third trimester of pregnancy, came panting and sore to the office," Atar explained. "She explained that she did not find parking and had to walk a long distance from the car to the office."

"I decided to promote this bill before I did anything else – in the hopes that this small change in the law can ease the lives of 150,000 women per year and maybe even save a life."

Women in their third trimester would receive a special badge that would allow them parking in handicapped sports from the beginning of their third trimester until up to one month after their scheduled delivery date, he said.